The
Superintendent shall designate a Homeless Education Liaison
(“Homeless Liaison”). The Homeless Liaison is responsible for
coordinating school unit services for homeless students and for
unaccompanied homeless students. All questions regarding enrollment,
programming and services for homeless students will be referred to
the Homeless Liaison. The Homeless Liaison is expected to consult
with school administrators and the Superintendent in making
determinations of homelessness, enrollment and programming decisions
for students. The Homeless Liaison shall ensure that MSAD
31 meets all other
requirements under federal and state law/regulations.

(1) Students who are sharing the
housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship,
or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or
camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate
accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; or
are abandoned in hospitals;

(2) Students who have a primary
night-time residence that is a public or private place not designated
for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human
beings;

(3) Students who are living in
cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing,
bus or train stations, or similar settings; and

(4) Migratory students who are
living in circumstances described in (1 through 3).

2.
Unaccompanied homeless
student. An
unaccompanied homeless student is a homeless student, as defined
above, who is not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.

C.
Determination of Homelessness

1.
If a student seeks to enroll in MSAD
31 as a homeless
student, the Homeless Liaison shall be informed as soon as possible
by the building administrator or designee.

2.
The Homeless Liaison shall take the following steps:

a.
Meet with the student’s parent or guardian, or in the case of an
unaccompanied homeless student (a student not in the physical custody
of a parent or guardian), with the student.

b.
Determine whether the student is a “homeless student” or
“unaccompanied homeless student” as defined in the Act, in
consultation with appropriate administrators. In making this
determination, the Homeless Liaison will gather relevant information,
including, but not limited to, information about the student’s and
parent/guardian’s current and past living situations, the reasons
for the student’s current living situation, the availability of
other living arrangements for the student, and records required for
enrollment.

c.
If the student is determined to be homeless, the parent/guardian (or
student if an unaccompanied homeless student) will be informed of the
enrollment options available to the student and transportation
services available.

3.
If it is determined that the student is not homeless, the
parent/guardian (or student if an unaccompanied homeless student)
will be provided with a written explanation of the school’s
decision, including information regarding the right to appeal the
decision (as explained in section I below).

D.
Student Enrollment

MSAD
31 will facilitate
the student’s enrollment in school, according to the student’s
best interest (as explained in subparagraph 2 below).

1.
Enrollment options could include:

a.
Continuing the student’s enrollment in the student’s “school of
origin” (the public school the student attended when permanently
housed or, if the student was not attending school when he/she became
homeless) for the duration of homelessness in any case in which a
family becomes homeless between academic years or during an academic
year and for the remainder of the academic year, if the student
becomes permanently housed during an academic year, or

b.
Attending the public school in the attendance area where the student
is now actually living.

2.
The student is to be enrolled in a school according to the student’s
“best interests,” which will include student-centered factors
such as the impact of mobility on achievement, education, health, and
safety of the student. Furthermore, the Homeless Liaison shall
presume that keeping the student in the school of origin is in the
student’s best interest, except when doing so is contrary to the
request of the child's parent/guardian, or (in the case of an
unaccompanied homeless student) the student’s own wishes. When
applicable, the Homeless Liaison will consider information about the
student’s disability in the determination of “best interests.”
The Homeless Liaison will also consider the views of the school
administrative unit of current residence.

3.
If a student is to be enrolled in a school other than the school of
origin or the school requested by the parent/guardian (or the
unaccompanied homeless student), the Homeless Liaison shall provide
the parent/guardian (or unaccompanied homeless student) with a
written explanation, including information regarding the right to
appeal the decision (see below).

4.
A student determined to be homeless shall be immediately enrolled in
a MSAD 31
school, if found to be in the student’s best interests, even if the
student is unable to produce records normally required for enrollment
(such as academic records and immunization records), or pending any
appeal of a school enrollment decision.

5.
In the event a dispute arises over enrollment in a school, the
student shall be immediately enrolled in the school in which
enrollment is sought, pending final resolution of the dispute.

E.
Educational and Transportation Services

Homeless
students shall be provided services comparable to those offered to
other students in the same school, including:

1.
Educational services for which the student is eligible, including but
not limited to preschool, special education, gifted and talented
programs, vocational programs, college readiness, school choice
options, before and after school programs, school meals through the
National School Lunch Program, Title I and limited English
proficiency programs, and other school-based support services.

2.
Transportation services. If requested by the parent/guardian (or in
the case of an unaccompanied homeless student, the liaison), homeless
students must be provided with daily transportation to or from the
school of origin. If the student continues to live in the area served
by the school unit in which the school of origin is located, that
school unit must provide or arrange for the student’s
transportation to or from the school of origin. If the student
continues to attend the school of origin and the student begins
living in an area served by another school unit, the school unit of
origin and the school unit of residence must agree upon a method to
apportion the responsibility and costs for providing transportation
to and from the school of origin. If the school units cannot agree
upon a method, the responsibility and costs for transportation are to
be shared equally.

F.
Coordination with Other School Units and Agencies

The
Homeless Liaison shall be responsible for coordinating with local
social service and other agencies and other school units as necessary
to ensure that homeless children and youth have access to education
and related support services. The Homeless Liaison will provide
referrals to homeless families/children for health care services,
dental services, mental health and substance abuse services, housing
services, and other appropriate services as necessary.

G.
Recordkeeping and Student Privacy

The
Homeless Liaison shall ensure proper recordkeeping of information
required under federal and state regulations. Information regarding a
student’s living situation is subject to federal and state privacy
laws, such as the Federal Education Records and Privacy Act (FERPA).

H.
Public Notice

The
Homeless Liaison is responsible for providing all required notices
and any other information required to be shared or distributed with
parents/guardians (or unaccompanied homeless students) by law. The
Homeless Liaison will identify the appropriate method to distribute
and post information so that it is readily accessible to the public.

I.
Dispute Resolution

1.
MSAD 31 Appeal
Procedure

a.
If a parent/guardian (or unaccompanied homeless student) is
dissatisfied with the determination by the Homeless Liaison that a
student is not homeless or with the enrollment decision, he/she may
appeal the decision in writing to the Superintendent within five (5)
school days.

b.
The Superintendent shall review pertinent records and conduct further
investigation if deemed appropriate. The Superintendent shall notify
the parent/guardian (or unaccompanied homeless student) of his/her
decision in writing within twenty (20) school days. c. If the
parent/guardian (or unaccompanied homeless student) is dissatisfied
with the Superintendent’s decision, he/she may ask the Homeless
Liaison to forward the appeal to the Department of Education for
final resolution. This request must be made within five (5) school
days of the parent/guardian’s receipt of the decision.

2.
Maine Department of Education Dispute Resolution Process

a.
When disagreement remains after the MSAD
31 appeal procedure,
the Homeless Liaison will assist the parent/guardian, or
unaccompanied homeless student in assembling an appeal packet for
submission to the State Homeless Education Coordinator of the Maine
Department of Education, if requested. Appeals to the Maine
Department of Education will be handled as specified in Maine
Department of Education Rule Chapter 14, including an Initial State
Review by the State Homeless Education Coordinator and a final
appeal, if requested, by the Commissioner of Education.

b.
Disputes among school units. In situations where there is a
disagreement between MSAD
31 and another school
unit over a determination of eligibility or best interest, MSAD
31 may request
informal assistance from the State Homeless Education Coordinator.
Should the disagreement persist, MSAD
31 or the other
school unit may initiate the dispute resolution process specified in
Maine Department of Education Rule Chapter 14. In such a case, the
Homeless Liaison will assist the parent/guardian (or unaccompanied
homeless student) in assembling any documents they wish to submit, if
requested.